Monday, February 14, 2011

An Ode to Love.

Happy Valentine's Day readers! I actually seriously LOVE this holiday. What can I say, I love love, which may be partially why I chose the wedding industry to get into. I'm a hopeless romantic and someone who puts a lot into the little four letter word. I am lucky to have so much love in my life, like, brimming over with it and my heart bursting at the seams.

Valentine's Day used to be a dad and daughter thing around our house. With four daughters, my dad was Purdy's favorite customer. He would always get us the assorted box and then a small toy as a token of affection. We'd wait patiently all day waiting for dad to get home from work, staring out the window for his little orange Toyota, then tried to pawn off the chocolate covered ginger pieces, who in the world created such an awful thing?! I told Josh this several years ago, how much it meant to my sister's and I that my dad would do this, so he has followed suit quite nicely.

So today, on a day where people who are newly single, divorced or fighting with a loved one pretend to be bitter and throw hatred towards the holiday, I try and remind them that it's not just a love between a couple that should be celebrated, friends, family, even the bond between pets is something to cheer about. Love is nice that way, everyone has someone or something to love.

Our handsome foster boy Crosby, the perfect dog, even when he does destroy 4 books in a few hours.

My dad - my very first Valentine.

They say you don't know love until you have a child - and I can fully get on board with that. Never have I loved anything so quickly in my life. She is hilarious, beautiful and brilliant. She has a heart of gold and melts mine every day.

My momma and me - the person who taught me how to be a mom and love unconditionally.

Two of our best friends, Ashley and Mark - the only thing I don't like about them is how long they took to enter our lives. I cannot wait for the third Dyer to arrive in July, another one to love.

My girlfriends since high school, no matter how often or not we see each other it's like no time has passed at all. We are all so different we each bring a fun little piece to the puzzle that makes a beautiful group of girlfriends.

My sisters and I, they are my heart and are always with me even though we spend more time apart than together.

The epitome of love - my grandparents. They are high school sweethearts and have raised my huge, weird and lovely family.

The love of my life. You never really know your type until they storm into your day with a pile of mail and get you so riled up that you knock everything off your desk. The only person in the world that tolerates me every day and still kisses me goodnight. I can't imagine my life without him in it, and know that we'll grow old together, laughing at eachother's stupid jokes and ugly faces.